


Time Out

by deirdre_aithne



Series: What A Boy Wants [2]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Daddy Kink, Established Relationship, Infantilism, M/M, Non-Sexual Kink, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-11-07
Updated: 2011-11-07
Packaged: 2017-11-08 05:38:15
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,853
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/439742
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/deirdre_aithne/pseuds/deirdre_aithne
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Harry throws a tantrum over dinner.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Time Out

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks to lorcalon for the beta job!

Neville glanced up at Harry across the table again and frowned. Harry had fallen unusually quiet during dinner, despite his boisterous mood before they sat down, and was now proceeding to aimlessly push the untouched vegetables from their take-away around his plate. Setting his fork down, Neville nudged his own plate to one side and watched Harry for a moment.   
  
"You all right?" he asked, and Harry nodded. "Then why aren't you eating?"   
  
Harry made a face without looking up, nudging a stray piece of broccoli into the pile on one side of his plate. "'s icky..." he murmured.   
  
With a small smile, Neville leaned back in his seat as he realized why Harry's behaviour had shifted. "I see... And did you actually  _try_  it before you decided that."   
  
Harry hesitated and shook his head, glancing up at Neville through his fringe.   
  
"Try a bite, Harry. Just one," Neville encouraged when Harry adamantly shook his head again.   
  
"Don't want it," Harry groused. Folding his arms over his chest, Harry sat back and adopted a scowl, his gaze focussed on the table rather than Neville again.   
  
Neville waited a moment to see if he would give in without prompting before he let out an exaggerated sigh. He pushed his chair back from the table, catching Harry's attention, and began to gather up his own plate, reaching for Harry's as well. "Well, if you don't want it, then I suppose you don't want afters either."   
  
Harry's eyes widened, and his eyes darted between Neville and his plate. "But... Daddy..."   
  
"No 'but's, Harry." Neville kept his expression stern, despite the smile that tried to pull at his mouth at Harry's sulking. "You either finish your supper, or don't get dessert. So which will it be?"   
  
He watched Harry stare up at him in silence for a moment, trying to turn his sulking in his favour by setting his lower lip to tremble. When Neville didn't waver, however, Harry let out a huff and flung himself against the back of his chair. Folding his arms over his chest, he turned his gaze to the table and scowled.   
  
"Don't want it," he repeated in a petulant tone.   
  
"All right then." Neville plucked up Harry's plate and rounded the table, tipping Harry's plate over the rubbish bin to clear it before depositing both their dishes in the sink. He charmed them to wash with a flick of his wand and turned back towards the table to see Harry had remained stubbornly in place. "Come on, Harry, get up."   
  
He strode over to the table to stand beside Harry's chair, laying a hand on his shoulder. "Let's go find something to play before bed."   
  
Harry shook his head and shrugged off Neville's hand. "I want afters!"   
  
"No, Harry. I told you, not unless you finished your dinner, and you said that you didn't want it."   
  
Harry's face scrunched as he looked up at Neville and demanded, "Afters!"   
  
Neville sighed, " _No_ , Harry. Now come on, time to get up from the table."   
  
"Make me," Harry challenged, slinking down in his seat and looking away again. Neville let out another sigh and moved behind Harry's chair, hooking his hands beneath Harry's arms and hoisting him up to his feet, receiving a startled yelp of surprise from Harry.   
  
"There." Neville released Harry and started to push his chair in when he moved to the side, and froze as Harry's foot collided with his ankle. It hadn't had much force behind it at all, but it had been hard enough for Neville to feel it, and he turned his head to the side to look at Harry with a hint of disbelief.   
  
Harry looked back at him, his arms still folded over his chest and his lower lip pulled between his teeth in his uncertainty. He swallowed and held Neville's gaze as he drew his foot back and aimed another kick at Neville's shin, a little harder than the first.   
  
" _Harry_ ," Neville said sharply. Straightening, Neville folded his own arms over his chest as he gave Harry a stern look. "You  _do not_  kick Daddy. You know better than that." Relief flickered across Harry's features, but was quickly masked by the return of his petulant expression. This time, Harry raised his arm, and Neville caught him by the wrist in a gentle grasp. " _Or_  hit." Harry's eyes narrowed in challenge, and Neville guided his arm down to his side. "This is your only warning, Harry. If you do it again, then I will punish you."   
  
Neville felt Harry's pulse quicken at the threat, before he released his wrist. They were both still for a moment, until Harry lashed out at him again, landing a smack against Neville's shoulder. His expression turned uncertain as soon as his hand made contact, and his lower lip was pulled between his teeth again while Neville straightened.   
  
"Daddy...?"   
  
"Hush." Neville's voice was firm, but not harsh, and Harry fell silent. "Go into the sitting room, Harry."   
  
Harry swallowed, taking a small step back from Neville. "But-"   
  
" _Harry_ ."   
  
Harry made a strained sound, looking up at Neville with pleading eyes. When Neville didn't relent, Harry ducked his head and stepped around him, wrapping his arms around himself. He was silent while he walked, glancing once over his shoulder at Neville and quickly looking away again when their eyes met. His arms tightened around himself when they made it to the sitting room, and Harry hovered uncertainly near the sofa, worrying his lower lip.   
  
"Daddy, please, I-"   
  
"Sit," Neville instructed, pointing at the nearest end of the sofa. Harry trembled as he obeyed, dropping himself down onto the cushion and pulling his feet up onto it as well, pressing his knees to his chest. Neville waited patiently for Harry to raise his eyes, and his stern resolve crumbled at the note of fear in his gaze.   
  
Crouching down in front of the sofa, Neville reached out and laid one hand on Harry's arm where it wrapped around his knees. Harry tensed under the touch at first, but relaxed when Neville only slid his hand back and forth over his arm. "You know Daddy will never hurt you, right?"   
  
Harry hesitated and then nodded.   
  
Neville gave him a reassuring smile as he moved his hand to cover Harry's, curling around it and squeezing lightly. "But when you misbehave, Daddy has to punish you. Do you understand?" He received another nod in answer, as Harry turned his gaze away. "Okay. You're going to sit here in time out until I tell you to get up, all right?" Neville gave Harry's hand another squeeze as he straightened. "No talking. I just want you to think about what you did."   
  
"Yes, Daddy," Harry whispered, failing to disguise the tremor in his voice. He scrunched his knees closer to his chest and ducked his head to hide his face against them.   
  
Neville watched him for a moment, fighting the desire to pull Harry into his arms, before he finally stepped back. Harry didn't move as he retreated, and Neville took a deep breath, glancing at the clock above the fireplace to mark the time. He made his way to their bedroom, trusting Harry to stay where he'd been put while he gathered Harry's lion from its place on the shelf in their closet, as well as the soft blanket he'd bought for him.   
  
He took his time moving back into the sitting room, finding Harry still on the sofa, curled in on himself the same way he had been when Neville left. Neville checked the time again, waiting for the second hand to finish ticking over to the next minute before he approached Harry.   
  
"Five minutes is enough," Neville murmured, holding Harry's lion under his arm while he draped the blanket over Harry's shoulders. Harry didn't lift his head, but as he recognised the blanket settling over him, he clutched for the ends of the blanket, clutching it around himself. Neville claimed the cushion beside him, pulling the lion from beneath his arm.   
  
Sitting the toy on his knee, Neville made it lean in towards Harry and brush its head against his hand. He heard Harry suck in a shuddering breath and repeated the action until Harry lifted his head at last. His eyes were red and slightly puffy, with faint tracks of tears along his cheeks. Harry gave a loud sniffle and looked from Neville to his toy, reaching out to grab at the lion. Neville passed it to him, watching as Harry crushed the lion against his chest with one hand and buried his face against it, grasping for him with his free hand.   
  
"Come here," Neville murmured, wrapping his arms around Harry and pulling him into his lap. Harry's hand clutched at Neville's shirt until his knuckles whitened, and Neville cradled him close, tugging the blanket around him again when it started to slip.   
  
"I'm s-sorry Daddy," Harry sniffled, his voice coming out muffled by his toy. "I'm sorry I was a bad-" He broke off to take a hiccoughing breath. "Bad boy..."   
  
Neville shushed him, moving his hand to Harry's hair and gently threading his fingers through it. "You aren't bad, Harry. You're my good boy." Harry started to shake his head and Neville stopped him by continuing. "You  _are_ ." His arm around Harry's waist tightened, holding him closer as he dipped his head to press a kiss to Harry's hair. "Daddy's good little boy."   
  
Harry whimpered, twisting himself towards Neville's chest, but his trembling faded as Neville's fingers continued moving through his hair. When he felt Harry finally relax against him, Neville stopped to tip Harry's face up towards him and leaned in to kiss his forehead.   
  
"You know Daddy loves you, right?"   
  
"Even... now?" Harry asked, looking up at him and searching his eyes. A small, affectionate smile twisted up the edges of Neville's mouth as he nodded, brushing a stray strand of hair out of Harry's eyes.   
  
"Of course. A little bit of acting up can't make me stop loving you, Harry." Neville let out a quiet chuckle as Harry flung his arms around his neck.   
  
"I'm sorry for hitting, Daddy."   
  
Smiling, Neville ruffled Harry's hair. "It's all right."   
  
Harry sat back in Neville's lap, hugging his lion to his chest and grinning at Neville over its head. "Could I maybe still have afters, Daddy?" He adopted his best pleading expression.   
  
"I shouldn't let you, you know..."   
  
" _Please_ ?" Harry begged. He squeezed his lion until it let out its tiny roar, and then held the toy up towards Neville. "Mr. Lion says good boys get their afters."   
  
Neville laughed and pulled Harry into a tight hug before nudging him out of his lap. "All right, if Mr. Lion says, then I suppose you can." Harry's grin widened and he rocked on his heels as he waited for Neville to stand. Once Neville was on his feet, Harry leaned in and pressed a kiss against his cheek.   
  
"I love you, Daddy!"   
  
Smiling, Neville let Harry grasp his hand to lead him back towards the kitchen. "I love you, too, Harry."


End file.
